Migration Monitoring – November 2nd

I knew it was going to be a slow day when a White-Tailed Deer stopped and stared at me with a “What are you doing here? You should have stayed in bed.” look at first light.

Very cold this morning with the temperature at dawn -6C. I delayed opening the nets for a couple of hours until it warmed up a bit but likely this had only a marginal effect on the number of banded birds as it was pretty quiet (except for American Goldfinch, of course).

There was some excitement however, as the first Common Redpoll of the season (ever?) was banded. Another first of the season was the sighting of a Common Merganser.

Despite the early freezing temperatures, two species of butterflies were observed at midday when it had reached 12C. They were Clouded Sulphur and Orange Sulphur.

Banded: 27
American Goldfinch 16
Slate-Coloured Junco 4
Common Redpoll 1
Red-Breasted Nuthatch 2 (now a record fall for RBNU numbers- which sounds impressive but the previous high was 5 and we are now at 6)
Black-Capped Chickadee 1
House Finch 1
Northern Cardinal 1
Blue Jay 1

Retrapped: 25
American Goldfinch 11
Slate-Coloured Junco 4
Black-Capped Chickadee 8
Eastern White-Crowned Sparrow 1
Northern Cardinal 1

REMINDERS
This is the last weekend of fall migration monitoring at Ruthven Park for 2007. If you wish to ply us with baked goods, now is a great time.

On Wednesday November 7th, at 7:00pm at Ruthven Park’s Coach House Dr Grant Gilchrist will be presenting EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON MARINE BIRDS BREEDING IN THE CANADIAN ARCTIC.

Reservations are required. Adults $10.00, Couple $15.00, Family $20.00. Proceeds to support the bird banding station at Ruthven Park.

For reservations, or more information, please call 905-772-0560 or email ruthven.park(at)sympatico.ca

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